Dive into the Heart
by Solosorca
Summary: As a storm comes in, Haruka tries to sort out his feelings towards Makoto.


**My first dive (please forgive the pun) into Free! fanfiction. I am writing a much longer piece at the moment because Makoto and Haru are just so adorable. The fic is called what it is called because that's the title of the song I was listening to when I was finishing off the fic. I'm that good at titles OTL.**

* * *

A storm was coming in. Haruka could see the black clouds gathering on the horizon, sheets of rain falling from the into the sea. The wind was blowing inland, stirring up the sea.

The smell of the salt on the air drew Haruka closer to the beach. He was walking home from work, as a swimming instructor at the local pool and couldn't help but go to the water. Everyone around him was hurrying away, trying to get back to their homes before the storm hit.

He found a bench and sat down, the wind blowing salty spray into his face. Makoto would hate it. Whenever it was like this on their way home from school Haruka had always wanted to dally by the beach to watch the choppy water. Makoto had stayed with him, emitting an nervous energy that meant that they'd never stayed too long. Makoto was scared of storms and was even more scared by the stormy sea. It was like he thought the angry waves would grab him and pull him out.

Haruka hoped this storm didn't make it all the way to Tokyo, where Makoto was studying.

He started into the churning water. The swirling water was almost hypnotic, mixed with the crashing of the waves against the shore it helped his thoughts flow. It was like the sea was frustrated, sick of being the same day in day out and wanting to do something drastic. Haruka could sympathise. His life had just stopped after high school to be replaced by endlessly repeating the same things day after day. He'd only taken the swimming instructor job because he hadn't had any other ideas or ambitions. Nagisa had mentioned that he'd be good at it and it had gone from there.

He didn't think he was any good at it. He felt he was moodier than he had ever been, even when he'd been feeling guilty over Rin, and the kids he was teaching, who got to hang out with their friends and enjoy swimming in the pool, just annoyed him.

He really missed Makoto.

He still met up with Rei and Nagisa on weekends and hung out with Rin when he wasn't training, but none of that could ever replace the ever present warmth that was having Makoto at his side. He missed walking to school with him, tuning out Makoto's chatter about insignificant things and just enjoying being with him. Haruka and Rin had shared a blue ice lolly the other day and it just hadn't been the same.

Whenever he had been with Makoto it had felt like there was a warm, comfortable weight inside him, giving him the strength to do anything. Makoto sent him emails every few days telling him about his university course, all the people he'd met, the cats that visited campus, but it just wasn't the same.

It had been months since Makoto left and Haruka had been miserable every day since.

The clouds were drawing in now, the rain being blown in by the increasingly strong wind. Haruka guessed it was time to go home now.

Once, he'd been walking home with Makoto when a storm like this was coming in. It had been raining and Makoto had an umbrella, trying to convince Haruka to shelter under it with him. Haruka had ignored him, he'd always liked walking in the rain.

"One day, you'll catch a cold," Makoto had said, "and then you won't be happy."

Then, a sudden strong gust of wind had caught the umbrella, turning it inside out and destroying the metal spokes.

"My umbrella," Makoto had said in shock. Haruka had thought he was going to cry, but instead, Makoto started to laugh. "Did you see that, Haru?" He'd asked and Haruka couldn't help but join in laughing.

They'd still be laughing about it when they'd reached Makoto's house, both drenched to the skin.

Sometimes, on his way to and from work, Haruka would find himself turning to say something to the space next to him where Makoto would have been.

The wind had picked up and the rain set in by the time he got back to his empty house. The house creaked under the onslaught of the wind as he stripped and headed straight for the bath.

The sea would be taking out its frustrations on the beach right now. Haruka thought about the crashing waves and he sat in the bath, listening to the howling wind and the rain lashing the window.

He'd been at Makoto's many times during storms like these. Makoto stuck close to him, clining to him when the thunder and lightening set in. He'd heard girls comment on how cute the gap between Makoto's appearance and his scared-cat personality were. Haruka had never thought of Makoto as 'cute', he was Makoto. He was an annoying busybody who put everyone before himself, but he was his annoying busybody who put everyone before himself. It had felt nice to be needed. It had felt even nicer to curl up under the covers of Makoto's bed, to be a comforting presence for Makoto as Makoto was to him.

He just wanted to see Makoto again. To be next to Makoto again. Forever if Makoto wanted it.

It was lucky he didn't have work the next day. The next day he went straight to the train station and bought a one-way ticket to Tokyo.

* * *

Medical school was hard, but Makoto hadn't expected anything different. He enjoyed losing himself in his studies, it helped him forget about...well. He'd always known that his love for Haru would go unrequited. Haru had never noticed and Makoto hadn't wanted to throw away their close friendship. He was happy as long as Haru was happy. That didn't stop it hurting though. In Tokyo, he could get over Haru and then, when he returned, they could go back to being best friends. At least, that's what he'd told himself. If only it were so easy in reality.

He was leaving the library when his mobile phone started to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out, expecting it was one of his friends trying to get him to go out with them that night. His eyes widened when he say the caller ID. He quickly flipped it open and answered it.

"Haru!?"

"I'm in Tokyo," Haru said, "I want to see you."

"W-Where are you?" Makoto asked, his heart fluttering excitedly. Haru told him that he was at the nearest train station to his university. "Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes."

* * *

Haruka stood awkwardly outside the train station, waiting for Makoto. He had no idea what he was going to say to him. He'd had plenty of time to try and analyse his feelings on the train, but had just ended up going in circles. In the end, all he knew was that he just wanted to be with Makoto.

"Haru!"

He looked around and see Makoto running towards him. He was dressed in jeans and a green zip up hoodie, a heavy looking bag was slung over his shoulder and he was wearing his glasses. Something warm blossomed in Haruka's chest as soon as he saw him.

"Sorry," Makoto panted, "I ran all the way here."

"You didn't have to."

"I couldn't just leave you standing here," Makoto said. "Besides, I wanted to see you as well. S-So, why did you come here so suddenly?"

"We should get married."

It was worth saying it just to see the look of surprise on Makoto's face. He flailed about like a stranded whale for a bit, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of a reaction.

"H-Haru!" he managed, "you're not supposed to say things like that if you don't mean them!"

I did mean it, Haruka thought, stupid Makoto.

Makoto laughed nervously, looking around at all the people staring at them, "do you want to go back to mine?"

Haruka nodded and they set off. Makoto started to chatter about insignificant things as they went and Haruka tuned him out. It was just like old times.

"Sorry it's a bit of a mess," Makoto said as they reached his flat. Haruka doubted it was anything close to being a mess. The door swung open to reveal the only mess was the books spread out all over the table. "Would you like something to eat or drink? I've got some leftover food somewhere."

"I'm fine," Haruka replied. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Makoto asked, setting about tidying up the books and notes on the table.

"I miss you."

Makoto stopped tidying, staring at a sheet of notes unseeingly. "I miss you too. But Haru-"

"I hadn't finished," Haruka cut across him, he took a deep breath and said, "I don't want to be apart from you any more."

Makoto swallowed deeply and came back over to him. "Haru, I-," He paused, biting his lip and not looking at Haruka. "I love you. I don't know how you feel about me, but if you're serious in moving here to be with me then... then you need to know that."

Haruks nodded. "I think I knew that already." It just seemed right that Makoto loved him. He couldn't put into words how he felt about Makoto, but he knew he thought of him as more than just his best friend. He had to tell Makoto that, tell him how important and special he was to him, but he couldn't lie and tell him he loved him. He might love him, but until he knew for certain then he couldn't say. It wasn't fair to Makoto.

"You are very important to me, Makoto," Haruka said eventually, "there isn't anyone that makes me feel the way you do."

Makoto nodded, letting this sink in. "Is there a chance you could fall in love with me?"

"I think it's inevitable," Haruka admitted. It was worth it just to see the smile spread across Makoto's face.


End file.
